 |
2006-10-27 - Basic Beliefs
Part 8 - Based on The Apostle's Creed
"Who (Christ) was crucified, dead and buried."
Today we continue in our series of examining our basic Christian beliefs
(as found in the Apostles' Creed), by tracking down the Scriptures they are
based on.
Verses are all from Mark 15 - all from the New International Version:
22 They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha
(which means The Place of the Skull). 23 Then they offered him
wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24 And they crucified
him. ... 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"which means, "My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?" 35 When some of those standing near heard this,
they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." 36 One man ran, filled
a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to
drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down,"
he said. 37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last....
Some skeptics have thrown doubt on the resurrection of Christ by claiming
that He didn't actually die. They speculate that perhaps He was simply
unconscious or that the disciples fabricated the story of Jesus rising from
the dead - to help propagate their belief system. But the Bible clearly states
that Jesus died an Earthly death, "...breathed His
last."
42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day
before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43 Joseph of Arimathea,
a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom
of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. 44 Pilate
was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion,
he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45 When he learned from
the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.
But here we have an independent witness - a public safety official, who confirmed
Jesus' death.
46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took
down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of
rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
Additional proof of His death is provided in verses
46-47.
The burial traditions were carried out. His body was anointed with spices
and wrapped in linen. And the tomb was sealed. Even if all the witnesses
were wrong and Christ was still alive when put in the tomb, He would have
suffocated eventually.
So we find that there is unequivocal Biblical backup for this belief of Christ's
death.
To be continued on 11-10-2006.
Comments or
Questions?
Jan
cfdevcfpray@yahoo.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org |
 |